6 minute read
Greta Thunberg responds to fat-shaming
News brief Swedish Greta Thunberg’s response to China’s fat-shaming
By Mette Larsen
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was recently called an “environmental princess” and mocked by her weight in an article published in the Chinese state-owned newspaper China Daily. According to Woman’s Health, Greta Thunberg’s response, “Being fat-shamed by Chinese state Owned media is a pretty weird experience even by my standards. But it’s definitely going on my resume,” is all class.
The statements in China Daily came from journalist Tang Ge after Greta Thunberg urged China to do more to reduce its emissions and address climate change. “Although she claims to be vegetarian, judging from the results of her growth, her carbon emissions are actually not low,” Tang Ge wrote.
In addition, the article stated that “the lifestyle that pollutes the earth the most is European and American life” and accused Greta Thunberg of “double standards” because she called out China.
The article continued by stating that the climate activist “suddenly woke up on May 7 and began to criticize China for polluting the environment” after she Tweeted a report that found China’s annual emissions were greater than those of all developed nations combined in 2019.
In her Tweet, Greta Thunberg acknowledged China was a developing nation under World Trade Organization terms but she said it was “no excuse for ruining future and present living conditions.” She added, “We can’t solve the climate crisis unless China drastically changes course.”
Thailand aims to host more virtual trade fairs
Thailand’s International Trade Promotion Department is set on hosting more virtual trade fairs and online business activities in order to boost the country’s exports in the second half of the year. According to Somdet Susomboon, the department’s DirectorGeneral, the agency is preparing a schedule of more than 30 virtual trade fairs and online business activities this year mainly in the second half to boost exports by more than 4%.’
Source: Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce.
Fudan University in Shanghai. Photo: ALY SONG / REUTERS.
By Mette Larsen
Last year, the FUDAN-European Centre for China Studies at the University of Copenhagen closed but now a new center is set to open at the University of Oslo. The center will be called the ‘Fudan European Center for Chinese Studies’.
China researcher Harald Bøckman believes it is wrong to enter such collaboration now but Rector at UiO believes that boycotts of individual countries are wrong, local media NRK reports.
Fudan University in Shanghai is one of China’s leading universities. They have their own international department that takes care of the centers in other continents. According to China researcher Harald Bøckman, the Fudan European Center for Chinese Studies is to an even greater extent a lectern for China’s official view of current issues in the world and he believes it is wrong to enter such collaboration now. Harald Bøckman has previously worked at the Center for Development and the Environment at UiO. Ever since the Olympics in 2008, he has been denied entry to China.
According to NRK, Rector of UiO, Svein Stølen completely disagrees with Harald Bøckman and says, “I think we will become a political player if we start boycotting individual countries”. Svein Stølen says that he is aware of all the challenges that cooperation with China entails. But it also provides a better understanding of China and Chinese research, he says.
The Fudan European Center for Chinese Studies will be run by a general manager who is paid by Fudan University in China and a Norwegian coordinator who is paid by UiO. Only one similar center exists in Africa. The general manager, Chunrong Liu, is a political scientist and has written about governance and politics. The center will conduct network building within three main areas; social sciences and humanities, health and medicine, and climate and environment through seminars for researchers, students, and people outside the university.
According to the Fudan European Center’s website, the center is “a strategic initiative to meet the growing need for a more nuanced and balanced understanding of China’s development and global influence”. Professor of Chinese studies, Mette Halskov Hansen explains that wording is linked to Fudan’s old agreement with the University of Copenhagen and it will be changed soon.
News brief Maersk delivered empty containers to help Thai exports
By Zazithorn Ruengchinda
Recently, the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand announced a demand for empty containers in order to boost exports from the country. One of Maersk Line’s largest vessels, the Manila Maersk, stepped up to the call. The Triple E-class vessel (2M) called up at the Leam Chabang deep-sea port and successfully delivered a full load of empty containers with an aim to increase volumes for exporters in the region.
FINDS in Hong Kong celebrates the Nordic spring
If you are a FinnCham member in Hong Kong, you are currently in for a treat. FINDS takes you on a gastronomic journey around the five Nordic countries in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
FINDS symbolizes the Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden and imports the majority of their seasonal ingredients directly from the Nordic Region.
As a corporate member of the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, FINDS is currently offering two exclusive offers for FinnCham Members for their ‘Spring Summer Lunch Menu’ and ‘FINDS’ Signature Menu “The Nordic Journey” Spring Edition.
The menu showcases the Nordic spirit in every detail, including signature dishes from Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden, complemented with handpicked Nordic spirit and wines and exquisite Nordic tableware.
By Mette Larsen
Thailand’s Supreme Court has cleared Andy Hall, Finnwatch human rights researcher of all charges, bringing an end to a yearslong lawsuit against him, media YLE reports.
Andy Hall - a researcher and a migrant worker and labor rights activist - was formerly based in South East Asia. In early 2013 he was sued by Natural Fruit Company following the publication of the Finnish civil organization Finnwatch’s report “Cheap Has a High Price”.
Natural Fruit supplied in 2012 pineapple juice raw materials to Finnish retail chains and the report from 2013 revealed serious human rights violations at the company’s plant in Thailand.
In 2016, Andy Hall was found guilty of criminal defamation and computer crimes and faced a EUR 4300 fine along with a four-year prison sentence. But last year Thailand’s Supreme Court dismissed the four-year suspended sentence. The final case against Andy Hall was a separate defamation charge over an interview he did with media Al Jazeera in 2013. The Supreme court however overturned a lower court’s ruling that Andy Hall should pay 10 million baht in compensation charges and dismissed the case. The Supreme court ruled that his interview was justified.
In a statement, Finnwatch Executive Director Sonja Finér said,
“We are pleased that all charges against Hall have now been dropped and we can leave this eight-year legal harassment behind us.”
“Thailand should ensure that its legislation is amended so that similar harassment through the courts is no longer possible,” Sonja Finér added.
Andy Hall at his trial in Bangkok in 2016.
